Remember that the D300s and the D90 were on the market at the same time with the same sensor. The D400 will be a warmed over D300 body with the D7K sensor. It will have the new and improved 51 point auto focus and improved processing which will give it a couple of extra stops of noise reduction and faster data handling. And it will have a larger buffer and will shoot at least at 8 fps. It will have dual SD card slots and the new D7000/D800 battery. It will have better video functionality and more video frame rates like 1080 30P and 60P. And probably a tilt/swivel 3.2" screen.
Gregstx wrote:
Remember that the D300s and the D90 were on the market at the same time with the same sensor. The D400 will be a warmed over D300 body with the D7K sensor. It will have the new and improved 51 point auto focus and improved processing which will give it a couple of extra stops of noise reduction and faster data handling. And it will have a larger buffer and will shoot at least at 8 fps. It will have dual SD card slots and the new D7000/D800 battery. It will have better video functionality and more video frame rates like 1080 30P and 60P. And probably a tilt/swivel 3.2" screen. ...Show more →
I don't think so. All indications have it being a 24MP camera using a Nikon designed and Sony manufactured sensor.
Personally, I'm quite satisfied with the specs, performance and features of the d300/d700 series and simply want the same in a d400 with a new sensor that has better high ISO IQ than the d7000. I really don't want more MPs for DX unless they can do it and still increase high ISO performance. I don't believe that they can do that.
I assume that they could make a 16 to 18mp DX sensor that was a high ISO monster for DX format. Just put that sensor in a d400 with the same specs of the d300/d700 bodies and sell it at $1800.
Same holds true for a d700 replacement. Just do a 18 to 24mp FX high ISO monster with the same body specs as the d700 and sell it for $2650. I believe that they could do that if they wanted to and I'd have bought one in a heartbeat.
Kerry
nikt wrote:
The issue here is that no-one has really said 'what' the d400, in dx form, will be.
Of course we don't know but if we look at what gap nikon will fill then that could lead to some potential configs.
First, they can't use the d7000 sensor because that's a year and a half old nearly. The 7d already has 18mp and that's the camera it has to go after.
If it is indeed a fast frame camera then it will have to be more than the d7000.
Price?
Sooooo.
If it's DX then
the once rumored 24 mp is likely.
8 fps.
95% viewfinder
1080 24p video
$2299
It also means no mini d4 or....
There's an opportunity for a new camera in the line up in 6-8 months.
A D750 . 16mp . 8 fps . 95% . $3000
Pick you poison . ...Show more →
EB-1 wrote:
The D400 will likely have 24MP in the DX format, a better AF system than the D7000, probably different memory cards, etc. It should also be fast at 8FPS like the D300 series. I don't think the D7000 will go away, unless there is a D7100 or something. The $1100-1200 price point is a popular one for the features.
EBH
And then people will shout
WHO NEEDS A 24MPX CAMERA THIS IS LIKE A 54MPX FULL FRAME CAMERA NOISE WILL BE TERRIBLE AND IT CERTAINLY WON'T BE CAPABLE OF SHOOTING NOISE-FREE AT ISO 128,000,000,000 WHILE BEING HELD IN TOTAL DARKNESS WITH ONE HAND. WHY COULDN'T NIKON JUST GIVE US THE D7000 SENSOR IN A PRO BODY?
Remember 5 years ago when ISO=800 on the D200 was barely usable? Anyone's pictures notably better today? As a whole mine aren't :-)
Gregstx wrote:
Remember that the D300s and the D90 were on the market at the same time with the same sensor. The D400 will be a warmed over D300 body with the D7K sensor. It will have the new and improved 51 point auto focus and improved processing which will give it a couple of extra stops of noise reduction and faster data handling. And it will have a larger buffer and will shoot at least at 8 fps. It will have dual SD card slots and the new D7000/D800 battery. It will have better video functionality and more video frame rates like 1080 30P and 60P. And probably a tilt/swivel 3.2" screen. ...Show more →
That's exactly what I want. Perhaps a slightly updated D7k sensor though. If Nikon release that camera I'm all over it. Bonus points if it works with the existing D300/700 grip.
Remember that the D300s and the D90 were on the market at the same time with the same sensor. The D400 will be a warmed over D300 body with the D7K sensor.
The D300 was announced on the 23rd of August in 2007. A year later, some of that technology filtered down into the D90, namely of course the sensor.
The D7000 has been out for a year and a half. Given what's been happening with the competition such as Sony who already have a 24MP sensor in their cameras (even in their mirrorless), putting in the 16MP sensor in the D400 will not happen.
Remember, whatever they release could be around around for 4 or 5 years. Is Nikon so shortsighted in terms of their strategy?
What happens when the Canon 7D gets an upgrade?
If the MegaPixel game didn't exist, and it does, then we might have seen a superduper 16MP DX sensor will such clarity , high ISO capability and dynamic range that we would have had our minds blown.
The most lightly reason to the d400 delay is because it most Likely has the Sony 24mp dx sensor with Nikons pixi dust. And given sonys delay with its 24mp cameras Nikon will just have to wait for Sony to get everything back up to speed.
I presume I'm not the only one that's disappointed that the d800 doesnt get 8fps, even if it did it in dx mode I'd trade my d700 for one. Then again the v1...
nikt wrote:
The D7000 has been out for a year and a half. Given what's been happening with the competition such as Sony who already have a 24MP sensor in their cameras (even in their mirrorless), putting in the 16MP sensor in the D400 will not happen.
Remember, whatever they release could be around around for 4 or 5 years. Is Nikon so shortsighted in terms of their strategy?
What happens when the Canon 7D gets an upgrade?
If the MegaPixel game didn't exist, and it does, then we might have seen a superduper 16MP DX sensor will such clarity , high ISO capability and dynamic range that we would have had our minds blown.
Unfortunately, I agree with you, Nik. I guess that I'm pretty stupid, because I've always assumed that folks buying high dollar, high level cameras, would be able to get past the consumer MP race mindset. I assumed that people could make an honest assessment of their shooting and printing needs and then buy the cameras that worked for their needs. Obviously, that's not the case.
I'm not likely to ever make a fine art print larger than 12x18. All of my people photos are generally 10x12 or smaller. Other than the ability to frame loosely or crop severely, I don't have much need for 24 to 36mp. I made a ton of prints with 6mp and 10mp cameras that made me and my clients happy, putting money in my pocket. Again, perhaps me and my clients are stupid for being happy with those prints. I don't know, but that's why I would want better IQ at all ISO's, than more MPs. I'm willing to pay for excellent high ISO performance too, but I'd have been a lot happier at the d400 $2k price point vs the $4k I just paid for the d3s. Even so, I'd still buy that d400 to use as a complement to my d3s.
But, I'm pretty confident that you're right. If a 24mp d400 comes along, I won't be a first adopter like I've always done in the past. I will wait until the IQ is known, before I even consider buying one.
Two23 wrote:
I disagree about price. Nikon has been pretty consistent with that $1,500 region with the D100 series. I see Canon 7D for sale around $1,600, so that's exactly where I expect Nikon to be. I don't see Nikon getting carried away with prices at this time as most economies are still not so great.
The only advantage I can see for more MP is that it would allow you more flexibility in cropping. For those of us that can't afford big glass this is a bonus ASSUMING the image has the clarity, low noise, and enough data to allow for it.
Personally, I'm game for a 24MP D400, but not a 16MP one - I can do that with my D800 in crop mode. I know everyone worries about the noise, but I'm confident that Nikon will do a good job with it. Each time a new camera comes out, there's all kind of doom and gloom - then everyone loves it. 24MP, 8FPS, good ISO to 1600- the ultimate wildlife cropper cam.
I must admit I'm hoping for an upgraded DX sensor body. I don't like the weight or lack of reach of full frame glass. Personally while I doubt it will be just 12mp, I'm hoping for ISO capabilities in the D3s class with the DX sensor. My understanding is that full frame sensors cost quite a bit more to produce. And Sony tried the budget full frame and it flopped. There are still an awful lot of nature, event, or journalist type shooters who don't want to commit to full frame system. Carrying around my two bodies and three lenses with a flash all day on the NAMM show floor is a lot of work. The last thing I want is bigger and heavier. Plus the extra reach is a huge advantage in wildlife photography. Right now my D300's (not S) will do anything my old 35's would do in terms of image quality.
Kerry Pierce wrote:
Unfortunately, I agree with you, Nik. I guess that I'm pretty stupid, because I've always assumed that folks buying high dollar, high level cameras, would be able to get past the consumer MP race mindset. I assumed that people could make an honest assessment of their shooting and printing needs and then buy the cameras that worked for their needs. Obviously, that's not the case.
Kerry
Well, you're certainly not stupid Kerry,
I personally have no need for a 24MP DX camera.I would have been happy with D7000 gen II sensor or even a 14MP little beauty.
Oh well, we'll see what happens.
And it's true, it's not the case for most when buying a camera these days. These forums may be a little different when it comes to identifying their needs but most people suck at it.
It still pains me ...
"Why are you trying to sell me this SLR when it only has 12MP, and this tiny little Sony camera pocket camera has 16MP. Somethings wrong, I don't think you know what yo're talking about."
After spending 1 hour trying to explain things as easily ...and honestly as I could, including printing 6x4, 8x10 and 18x12" pictures for them to view, she told her husband she still didn't understand why I was trying to "offload" the 12MP SLR. They left "thinking" about it.
PS They were looking for a nice easy to use family camera under $1000. Pity the D90 is so crap.
Should have given them that $200 Sony 16MP peice of crap that I DID get $10 commission on.
Well, given that Nikon has apparently announced that the D700 will still be manufactured for the foreseeable future, I'd say we are going to see the 24MP D400 any day now at around $1800.
Thorsten wrote:
We can be sure there will be a D400 very soon. Nikon won't leave the big market segment between $1200 and $3000 to the competition. The D400 will likely have all the D800 features but a much smaller price tag and a DX sensor that's even better than the D7000. If recent Nikon camera releases are any guide, people will fall over themselves to place preorders.
No question, Nikon has to plug the hole between the D7000 and the D800. One can argue that the old models fill the gap (D300s and D700) but that doesn't hold water in the "newer is better" world of technology. Sony, Canon, Fuji, etc. will be more than happy to fill that gap, so Nikon will be forced to release a new model to maintain market share.
One possibility is to put the D7000 sensor in a more robust body, call it the D400. Add a few features like more fps, compact flash, a few more focus points, and that would be a worthy upgrade over a D300s.
The other option is to take Sony's new 24mp DX sensor and stuff it into a D400, price it between $1500 and $2000 and you have an upgrade over the D7000 that doesn't compete with the D800. People who want a fast DX camera with the ergonomics of a pro body will be happy. D7000 users have an upgrade path as well. To me, this is the most likely scenario.
One way or another, Nikon will fill the gap but it won't have the D800 features. The fancy autofocus and metering of the D4 won't make it's way down the line. I know we all want it to, but Nikon keeps the best toys for the top end gear. The gap will be filled by a DX camera with top-end DX features that doesn't steal market share from the D800 and D4.
If I have a 7000 and want the BEST next camera around $2000 what am I buying?? 
